The IAGTO Awards 2010
20 November 2009
The IAGTO Awards, in association with Virgin Atlantic, are the official annual awards for the golf tourism industry. The 2010 gala Awards evening took place on Thursday 19th November 2009 at the Malaga Congress and Exhibition Centre, Spain on the last day of the International Golf Travel Market.
IAGTO is the global trade organisation for the golf tourism industry, comprising more than 1300 companies in 77 countries, including over 330 specialist golf tour operators in 50 countries. IAGTO operators control more than 80% of golf holiday packages sold worldwide (outside of Asia) and in 2008 their turnover exceeded €1 billion. IAGTO’s Chief Executive, Peter Walton, said "The annual golf holiday is the highlight of the golfing year for many of the world’s 50 million players, and the IAGTO Awards serve to reward a few exceptional contributions to this world of golf travel. There is certainly no shortage of candidates worthy of recognition. Many individuals, companies, organisations and destinations have excelled in delivering a great golfing experience to the golf traveller – the ultimate goal for all involved in golf tourism.
“The Awards serve also to encourage private and public sector organisations to work closely together in the development and promotion of new and existing golf destinations, making them accessible to and enjoyable by the widest range of golfers. Each year we recognise the performance of three of the world’s leading Golf Resorts, the flagships of our industry, together with one outstanding golf destination in each of the following five regions:
- Asia & Australasia
- Africa, the Indian Ocean & the Gulf States
- Latin America & the Caribbean
- North America
- Europe
There is also an award for the Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year, voted for by members of the International Association of Golf Travel Writers, with over 110 member journalists from 28 countries. The ceremony culminates in the presentation of our Honorary Award in tribute to the achievements of one extraordinary individual.”
Peter Walton added “We are delighted that Virgin Atlantic have joined us as our official partner of the Awards. Virgin are a great supporter of the golf tourism industry and golfers can take their golf bags free of charge on Virgin’s transatlantic routes.”
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The winners of the 2010 IAGTO Awards were:
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Golf Resort of the Year – Europe:
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Doonbeg, Ireland
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Golf Resort of the Year – North America:
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Kiawah Island Golf Resort, South Carolina
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Golf Resort of the Year – Rest of the World:
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Raffles Canouan, The Grenadines
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Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year:
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Brazil
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Golf Destination of the Year – Africa, the Indian Ocean & the Gulf States:
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Morocco
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Golf Destination of the Year – Asia & Australasia:
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Thailand
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Golf Destination of the Year – Europe:
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Provence and Cote’ D’Azur, France
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Golf Destination of the Year – Latin America & the Caribbean:
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Jamaica
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Golf Destination of the Year – North America:
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Orlando
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IAGTO Honorary Award:
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Nick Price
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On accepting the IAGTO Honorary Award, Nick Price said: “I would like to thank everyone at IAGTO for presenting me with this award. Having been fortunate enough in my entire career to have travelled all over the world playing golf in some wonderful spots, I can really appreciate what you tour operators do for the game and taking people to places and enjoying the game of golf that we all love so much.”
He went on to say “Golf is such a wonderful game and I think the greatest thing is that we can go to the Orient or to anywhere in the world and we can experience the same game on different golf courses and in different conditions, with different cultures, different food and I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my travels and my thanks go to everyone at IAGTO for presenting me with this award”
Quotes from the Award Winners:
Established Golf Destination of the Year, Latin America & Caribbean – Jamaica
Elizabeth Fox, UK Regional Director said: “After working with IAGTO over the last few years to put Jamaica on the map as a golf destination, we are obviously delighted to receive this prestigious award. Jamaica’s golf is world class and this award validates that. We are truly delighted as this award is voted for by golf tour operators.”
Established Golf Destination of the Year, North America – Orlando
Paul Tang, Chairman Elect of the Orlando Tourism Bureau said: “This is a great honour for us. We have 177 golf courses in the Greater Orlando area, but not a lot of people realise that. They think of the amusement parks and shopping, but they don’t realise we have great golf, too. There is a great range in pricing. You can go from $35 a round right up to $200 – it really depends on the experience you are looking for and when you want to play. And 2010 is going to be great value for pricing in Orlando.”
Established Golf Destination of the Year, Africa, Indian Ocean & Gulf States – Morocco
Essaid Kasmi, Director of the Moroccan Tourist Office in Spain said: “Morocco has adopted a strategy to develop tourism over the last 10 years and golf is part of that strategy and part of the tourism product in Morocco. We have 22 golf courses. We intend to double that figure in the next 4-5 years and we are creating new beach resorts integrated with golf courses. This award will help give us recognition for our golf product. We intend to bring the International Golf Travel Market to Morocco and take it to Agadir or Marrakech, which are our biggest golf destinations.”
Established Golf Destination of the Year, Asia & Australasia – Thailand
Emma Perez, Marketing Manager for Spain, Tourism Authority of Thailand said: “We are very happy to receive this recognition. This award is not only for the country but also for the golf companies and individuals who have helped make this happen. We now have 260 golf courses in Thailand, and this will help us to promote Thailand for golf and encourage golfers to come and play there. We believe it will help to bring more golfers.”
Established Golf Destination of the Year, Europe – Provence & Cote D’Azur
Dominique Charpentier, Managing Director of the Riviera and Cote D’Azur Tourist Board said: “I am very proud for all the professionals and the golf course managers because this is recognition of their work to improve the destination. The French Riviera is one of the oldest tourist destinations in France, and this is true of golf as well. The first course was built in 1891. We have many foreign golf visitors and this will certainly help us promote golf.”
Jean Duby, Vice-President, French Golf Federation – Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur Golf League said: “We know that France is not considered as a golf destination. So we were surprised but very happy because this award represents quite a few years’ work to promote our sport. We promote golf through tourism and tourism through golf. When I came to the South of France there were five golf courses between Marseilles and Monte Carlo. Now there are more than 50. It is one of the successes.”
Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year - Brazil
Michael Nagy, Chief Executive Officer, Golf Corporate Brazil said: “This has come at a fantastic time for Brazil. We have major events coming to Brazil including the football World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016, when golf returns to the Olympics for the first time in over 100 years. Brazil has been attending the International Golf Travel Market for seven years. Golf is a valuable economic tourism sector which our government understands. We have over 100 courses and another 37 under construction or being planned. This award will help show that Brazil is a golf destination, and we invite everyone to come and discover this undiscovered golf destination.”
Europe Golf Resort of the Year – Doonbeg, Ireland
Joe Russell, General Manager, said: “We are over the moon about the award. Two gentlemen from Kiawah in South Carolina, Buddy Darby and Leonard Long, set off on this journey back in the late 1990s. The commitment to overcome whatever challenges they have had and keep their vision has created something that is truly world class. The golf course opened in 2002 and the lodge opened in 2006. In less than 10 short years, Doonbeg has seriously found its way onto the world stage. There is nothing like this in Ireland. The combination of luxury accommodation, links golf and ocean views in a special corner of Ireland with wonderful courses above and below us really makes it links golf heaven. Many of the employees would not have worked in the golf industry until five years ago, but it is their commitment and their friendliness throughout the resort that makes Doonbeg unique in its entirety. To have an organisation such as IAGTO recognise the golf resort and the west coast of Ireland with this award is truly special for us.”
North America Golf Resort of the Year – Kiawah Island Golf Resort, South Carolina
Gary Edwards from Coastal South Carolina, on accepting the award on behalf of Kiawah
Island said: “The people at Kiawah are wildly appreciative and really honoured by the confidence that has been placed in their golf resort by the world’s golf tour operators and by IAGTO. Kiawah Island has been on the world stage many times since it hosted the Ryder Cup in 1991. Part of their commitment to becoming a world class resort was the opening of The Sanctuary. In terms of a golf spa and beach hotel, I think it may be the finest in the world.”
Rest of the World Golf Resort of the Year – Raffles Canouan, The Grenadines
Patrice Van Isacker, Director of Sales and Marketing said: “The golf course is just four years old. It is a great honour to receive this award. To win an award of this magnitude really helps to confirm the calibre of this fantastic golf course and the resort and it will help us to promote it even more. It is not easy to promote remote islands such as Canouan because we don’t have volume exposure. We hope this award will help stimulate continued growth through 2010 and beyond.”
ENDS
20th November 2009
Notes for Editors
Click here
for Photographs & Logos of the IAGTO Awards 2010
The Golf Destination and Golf Resort awards are voted for by IAGTO’s specialist
golf tour operator members which now number over 330 from 50 different countries.
Each operator was asked to vote for what they considered to be the best performing
golf resorts of the year. The following criteria were considered:
- Customer Satisfaction
- Quality of Golf Courses and Accommodation
- Value for money
- Support from Suppliers, Tourist Boards & Airlines
- Professional Conduct of Suppliers
- Accessibility to Tee Times
With the exception of the Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year Award which
is voted for by the 110+ golf travel journalists from 28 countries of the Golf Travel
Writers Association, who consider the following:
- To What Extent is the Golf Destination Undiscovered
- Qualities that make for an Interesting Golf Destination
- Attractiveness of the Region and of the Courses
- Golf Course Quality & Accessibility
- Standard of Accommodation
- Friendliness of the staff
- Value for money
- Speed of Play
- Climate
Contact
Carlton Carugati – General Manager
IAGTO, 1 Trafalgar House, Grenville Place, London NW7 3SA, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8906 3377
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8906 8181
Email: ccarugati@iagto.com